Township Democrats Pick Kramer As Their Mayoral Candidate

Democratic Mayoral candidate Phil Kramer watches the primary results come in June 2 at the municipal building.

Township Councilman Phil Kramer (D-Ward 3) easily held off a challenge June 2 to win the Democratic mayoral primary.

Kramer, who is serving his second term as a councilman, handily defeated a challenge by a political newcomer, Michael Williams.

With about 13 percent of registered Democrats voting, and without the votes of the 10th district, Kramer garnered 1,556 votes to Williams’ 464. There was a problem reading the results submitted by the 10th District, so those figures will come later from the Somerset County Clerk’s office.

Kramer was the choice of Democratic Party committee members at their caucus earlier this year. Williams, who screened with the committee but did not get its endorsement, chose to run anyway.

After the vote was tallied, Kramer said that he was “very pleased that the Democratic voters have faith in the Democratic committee’s choice.”

“My competitor had a very energetic campaign, but the voters saw that the message we put out was the stronger message,” Kramer said.

Democratic primary candidate Michael Williams watches the results come in at the township municipal building.

Kramer ran on what he said were his accomplishments as a councilman and as an activist before running for elected office: shrinking the township’s payroll by 16 percent without affecting services, paving roads four times faster than before he took office and helping to get governmental and school board meetings televised.

“I’m looking forward to getting my message out” to the general electorate during the campaign, he said.

Kramer will face the Republican’s pick, Mayor Chris Kelly. Kelly was selected as mayor by Kramer and the rest of the Democratic council earlier this year, following the resignation of former Mayor Brian Levine. Levine, the township’s first directly elected mayor, is now a Somerset County Freeholder.

Poll workers arrive at the municipal building with election results.

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